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Everyone knows that an apple per day is a more healthful option than a donut and yet, given the choice, many people would still choose the donut. A new study has revealed that food choices could be down to the associations that we make with food-related stimuli.
Aukje Verhoeven, Sanne de Wit, and Poppy Watson, all psychologists at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, conducted the research.
Their findings were published in the journal Appetite.
The consumption of unhealthful foods is on the rise around the world, which is contributing to the more than
Among children in the United States, more than 27 percent of calories each day come from snacks, including salted snacks, candy, desserts, and sweetened beverages. This could have hazardous consequences for their health.
Government initiatives have focused on making people more aware of the adverse effects of eating unhealthfully. However, most people fail to adhere to the recommended food guidelines, and eating behaviors often remain unchanged.
Though it is not clear why informational interventions do not work, evidence suggests that food-related stimuli in the environment may play a role in triggering unhealthful eating habits.
“Health warnings often make people want to choose healthier food products, yet many still end up picking unhealthy food products,” explains Verhoeven. “We suspected this might partly be due to the fact that people learn to associate specific cues in their environment with certain food choices.”
For example, seeing a large “M” sign in the environment has been linked to reward, such as eating a cheeseburger, which then prompts a craving and could trigger a trip to the restaurant.
These learned associations between cues and outcomes have a significant effect on the foods that people choose to consume.
“Unhealthy choices are therefore automatically activated by learned associations, making health warnings, which focus on conscious choices, ineffective,” Verhoeven adds.
Verhoeven and team aimed to investigate whether the presence of food-related stimuli and the behaviors they provoke are the reason why health warnings have a limited effect on eating choices.
The participants learned to press keys for two food rewards and learned associations between the stimuli and the reward. Information was displayed on the health risks of one of the two rewards, then participants had to choose between the two food options.
The investigators expected that when no stimuli were presented, the participants would choose the food that they thought was more healthful. But in contrast, they hypothesized that with stimuli, the participants would select the associated reward, regardless of whether it was the healthful or unhealthful choice.
“Health warnings for healthy food choices only seem to be effective in an environment where no food cues are present,” says Verhoeven.
“Whenever stimuli are present which people have come to associate with certain snacks,” she adds, “they choose the accompanying (unhealthy) food product, even when they know it is unhealthy or aren’t really craving that food product.”
“It didn’t matter whether we alerted the subjects before or after they learned the associations with food cues.”
Health warnings seem to change a person’s attitude and intention, but they do not always result in behavioral changes. The authors say that there is an urgent need for strategies to be developed that prevent unhealthful associations or that reduce their influence.
Verhoeven and her colleagues suggest that one strategy would be to complement health warnings with adding the health risks onto the products themselves to boost healthful food choices. The study authors continue:
“A more promising strategy suggested by the present study is to promote healthy choices by significantly limiting the availability of environmental stimuli that are associated with unhealthy food outcomes, such as certain commercials, especially those focused at vulnerable populations such as children.”
Healthful choices could be promoted by making the unhealthful ones less visible, the researchers recommend. This might include placing healthful food options near the cash desk while moving unhealthful snacks to a place that is less noticeable.


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When Richard Slingerland explores new business opportunities abroad, he often needs to let his products speak for themselves.
That's because the business development manager of Niagara-based Pillitteri Estates Winery only speaks English and a little bit of Italian, even though he sells his products to 31 countries around the world.
"The way we try to get around the language barriers is with a lot of visuals," he said, adding that he travels to trade shows and exhibitions abroad with price sheets, business cards, and other materials already translated to the local language, as well as a video display showcasing the ice wine harvesting process. "They see the price and taste the quality and from there the business can begin."
Mr. Slingerland predicts that language barriers add an extra 5 to 10 per cent to the total cost of his goods — much of which is spent on legal translators and meeting foreign labelling requirements — but the real sacrifice is time.
"Sometimes we'll be in a meeting and it will be 45 minutes of pure Japanese or Mandarin and there's nothing coming back (in English)," he said. "So you need to take your time and be patient."
Language barriers can be one of the biggest hurdles for Canadian small businesses expanding into foreign markets, but it's one they'll need to overcome on the way to new business opportunities.
Though dealing with different dialects can be exhausting, Pillitteri Estates depends on its ability to communicate with other cultures, as export sales comprise nearly 40 per cent of their business, with nearly 70 per cent of those sales taking place in Asia.
"There's a lot of times where you bump into someone who's interested in your product and a language barrier stops things from getting done," said Mr. Slingerland, who consciously tries to learn small phrases during his frequent trips abroad, but has never taken a formal language class.
For some small business owners, however, having their staff take a language class is critically important. Mario Zelaya calls his digital marketing company, Majestic Media, 'a global small business.' Though his clients are largely based in North America, much of his staff is located in places like Argentina, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Poland, Bulgaria, Spain, and Cuba.
To cope with the language barrier, Mr. Zelaya is paying for three of his staff members to take a one-hour English class each morning. "We want their career path to evolve within Majestic Media so they can work directly with the account directors and other folks across the globe," he said. "When we get the results from that investment we see a great ROI."
Mr. Zelaya explains that when the company began to expand, he ensured that each office had at least one person that spoke both English and the local language. "Once we had those core people on staff that were bilingual, being fluent in English was no longer a requirement," he said. "If the right candidate comes to the table and they are a perfect fit we're not going to limit ourselves because of language."
Though Mr. Zelaya was surprised by how easy it was to find talented, bilingual staff abroad, many Canadian entrepreneurs first look to their own multicultural society to build connections in foreign countries.
"You can finds lots of multilingual skills in Canada without depleting your quality of staff," said Vince Mifsud, CEO of Scribble Technologies Inc., a Toronto-based enterprise software company with offices in New York and London. "Even in the U.K., our top sales guy is German, speaks perfect English, Spanish, and French."
Mr. Mifsud said that getting over language barriers hasn't burdened the company with any additional costs. In fact, he recommends moving into foreign markets as soon as possible to stay ahead of the competition. "It's more of a lost opportunity cost of not going versus the time it will take you to go in," he said.
Scribble Technologies Inc. was also aided by one of its shareholders, Export Development Canada (EDC), a crown corporation that provides financing and risk management services to Canadian exporters. "They find partners for you, they bring a translator, you give them a profile of what you're looking for and they set up a trade mission," added Mr. Mifsud.
Phil Taylor, a spokesperson for EDC, says that small businesses looking to start exporting should start by contacting the local trade commissioner in each market they want to explore.
"Once a small business has a good idea of what they will need, we would recommend that they join the relevant business community or business chamber of that country, the Canadian-Indian Business Chamber for example, to develop a list of trusted local market suppliers that can help them meet those demands and requirements," he said.
No matter what the strategy, however, Mr. Slingerland believes the most important requirement for small businesses exploring new markets — whether it's to sell ice wine or software — is patience.
"We're spoiled here at home that so much is all in English and it's all so easy for us," he said. "You almost have to put your mind into how the rest of the world has to works. Whether it's Europe or Asia, they are very aware they're not the only country out there, and I think that here at home that we forget sometimes that there's a whole world of languages out there that we have to accept and be patient with."

domain: news


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Ice cream brand Wall’s has launched Soft Republic - a new ‘disruptor’ soft serve ice cream brand - with a pop-up store in London’s Spitalfields Market. Read more
As one of the world’s leading suppliers of new and used dairy machinery, Machinery World buy and sell plant and machinery worldwide to an ever increasing number of countries and continents.
From Iceland to New Zealand and every continent in between, the list of worldwide clients now numbers around 80 buying Filling machines, Packing machinery, Complete Plants, Evaporators & Spray Driers, Used Homogenisers, Ageing Vats, Batch Freezers, Batch Pasteurisers, Continuous Freezers, Fruit Feeders, Separators as well as Wrappers & Shrink Tunnels.
When we buy machinery, we make prompt inspections, firm offers, and prompt payment, with global export facilities and skilled employees to perform removal and transport of machinery worldwide.
With an expanding middle class population base, rising purchasing power, coupled with changing customer tastes and growing demand for premium ice creams, India will drive an expanding ice cream market through 2021 according to a report recently published by TechSci Research. Read more
With the New Year fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about getting your machines in premium condition for a problem-free, productive season throughout 2017. Read more


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Who do you think is best? Vote today for your local favorites.
Published 12:24 am Friday, July 2, 2021
Each year, thousands of votes are cast in the Port Arthur News Best Of contest as local residents weigh in on their favorite businesses, restaurants, services and places.
There is not a day you can go in a Port Arthur or Mid County business and not see a Best Of ribbon on a door, wall of a business or website. This year, we expect record turn-out as people again make their voices heard. Plus, we’ve expanded the voting process to make it easier for YOU.
We moved to a state-of-the-art online voting platform that is “best of breed” in online voting systems for Best Of contests. This allows for more secure voting and automatic tabulation of votes. The new-and-improved voting system is mobile-friendly and easier to use.
Nominations are complete, and the voting phase of Best of 2021 runs through July 31.
Choosing between the top three nominated businesses per sub-category will make the voting phase easier and faster. Winners will be contacted after the voting ends.
The winners of Best of 2021 will be announced to the public in September through a special section and will also be online on panews.com/contests.
Also updated this year is a redesigned logo, which reflects the unique character of our fine community. It also has a brighter color scheme that will help businesses that win stand out.


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BioShock 2 DLC in the works
Work on downloadable content for 2K's upcoming underwater romp has already started with an aggressive line-up of add-ons promised in the months following the game's February release.
Speaking with AustralianGamer, senior systems designer Kent Hudson confirmed that developer 2K Marin is already hammering out BioShock 2 DLC.
"We are working on pretty aggressive plans for DLC and that's actually something that is already under-way."
It shouldn't come as any surprise, of course, considering the first game was supported with downloadable plasmids and challenge rooms. What we're keen on learning is what form DLC will take in BioShock 2--more of the same or will 2K try something different?
BioShock 2 will be available for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on February 9.
- Borderlands 2 writer leaving Gearbox to join Freddie Wong's RocketJump production company
- Bloodborne will be harder than Demon's Souls and features procedurally generated dungeons
- Hearthstone users pass the 75 million mark, new expansion on the way says new report
- Square Enix unveils the Final Fantasy Type-0 Collector's Edition
- Life Is Strange arrives today
- SEGA cuts jobs in the biggest strategic shift since they binned the Dreamcast
- Big new update arrives for Frozen Cortex
- Introversion's Prison Architect will see its full launch this year, mobile version announced
- Ken Levine's next game is a first-person sci-fi title


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PRAGUE. 27 September 2017.
SIGFOX during its Prague conference unveiled a simplified connectivity service which now makes it possible to transform any short-range wireless device into a long-range IoT device, with hardware components for as little as $0.20.
SqwidNet, a licensed SIGFOX operator, will offer access to this low-cost service in South Africa.
At the conference Sigfox officials demonstrated a prototype wireless module contained in a cardboard envelope, triggering a text message when the envelope was opened. The cost of this wireless module has been cut down by dropping a few non-essential functionalities. It features an ultra-thin battery, ultra-thin contacts, and an ultra-low-cost module.
According to Reshaad Sha, Chief Executive Officer at SqwidNet who is currently attending the SIGFOX World IoT Expo, “It is now possible to connect hundreds of millions of devices across verticals and sub-verticals, which were previously not viable from a cost perspective. From $12 in 2015, to $2 in 2017 and now at $0.20, the dropping costs of this hardware will present significant opportunities for new vertical use cases in the logistics and retail verticals. Anything that requires low cost one directional communications or ‘disposable’ connectivity can be delivered through this new low-cost enabled service.”


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McDonald’s Corp. is staking its future in India on burgers made from mashed potatoes, peas and spices. Sumil Mittal says it’s a good bet.
Mittal, 19, sits beneath the golden arches at a McDonald’s in Ambala, a small town 125 miles north of New Delhi. He’s eating the vegetarian McAloo Tikki sandwich, with French fries and a Coke.
“It’s a change from the food that we eat everyday at home, and inexpensive,” said Mittal, a student at Mukand Lal National College in neighboring Yamunanagar. “It tastes good.”
McDonald’s, the world’s biggest restaurant company, is expanding in India as a middle class predicted to grow tenfold by 2025 develops a taste for Western-style fast food. Sales are up 30 percent during the first nine months of the year, led by growth in smaller cities, said Vikram Bakshi, managing director of McDonald’s India.
There are 170 outlets in India, and the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company and its local partners will invest $108 million to add 120 during the next three years, Bakshi said.
The chain famous for hamburgers tailors its menus to local tastes, which means no beef in India because the majority of its 1.2 billion people are Hindus and revere cows. It also doesn’t serve pork items in deference to Muslims.
Instead, it offers vegetarian and chicken dishes with items starting at about 40 U.S. cents. All restaurants have separate kitchens for vegetarians, including those who don’t eat root vegetables such as garlic and onions.
“It really doesn’t make sense to sell beef in a country where 85 percent of the population doesn’t eat it or will even shun a restaurant where beef is served,” Bakshi said. “About 70 percent of the menu in Indian outlets doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.”
Some items, including the McAloo Tikki and Pizza McPuff, were exported to restaurants in the Middle East. While locals expect the different menu, foreigners used to a Big Mac can be taken aback by a Chicken Maharaja Mac.
The mashed-potato sandwich is the highest- grossing item on the menu. It costs 50 cents in a nation where the World Bank says 456 million people live on $1.25 a day or less.
McDonald’s declined to discuss sales figures for India or China, though the company said Sept. 10 that global sales rose 2.2 percent in August. Sales in Asia, the Middle East and Africa fell 0.5 percent, the first decline since May 2005.


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“Self-propelled cars General Motors are having trouble detecting moving objects.
General Motors has been testing its self-propelled cars on roads since 2016. But now it appears that a number of "unexpected technical challenges" have emerged. One of them is difficulty with "identifying whether objects move or not", according to sources from Reuters. The cars would have difficulty... Read more


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Spacetoon has recently announced a new collaboration with Toys R Us to launch the Toy Rush challenge throughout KSA, bringing the biggest toy brands worldwide.
The challenge is divided into two main phases. The first round has already started while the other phases will continue until October 10, with three main rounds. Each round will last about a week and in the end, one toy will qualify for the second and final phase. Then only three winners from each round will get the chance to move into the final phase. Nine winners will race against time for 60 seconds, fill their trollies with as many games as they like and want to have at Toys R Us stores.
Spacetoon will also deal with more than 12 influencers who complement this new journey. There will be a variety of prizes kids can be rewarded with while participating in the challenge. All fans can share votes to their favorite influencer and extensive spectrum of toys through this challenge.


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Retailers' same-store sales rose 4.9 percent in January from a year earlier as a brisk economy fueled spending on clothing, home furnishings and appliances.
The same-store sales, which exclude transactions at new and closed stores, were led by increases of 4.1 percent at Wal-Mart Stores, 6.1 percent at the J. C. Penney Company's department stores and 11 percent at Gap Inc.
January sales, coupled with the biggest holiday season in seven years, should bolster fiscal fourth-quarter earnings for many retailers, analysts said.
The Goldman, Sachs retail composite index gained 4.9 percent in January. That followed increases of 6.2 percent in December and 3.4 percent in November.
''The profits for the Christmas quarter will be out of sight,'' said Carl Steidtmann, chief retail economist at PricewaterhouseCoopers. ''The surprises are all going to be on the upside.''Continue reading the main story
Retailers had fewer goods to cut prices on this year after the brisk holiday sales. That meant shoppers bought more merchandise at full price, analysts said.
''Retailers seemed to be highlighting a full-price strategy for January,'' said Michael Niemira, an economist at Bank of Tokyo.
Consumers splurged at after-Christmas clearance sales. Apparel retailers were among those cutting prices to make way for spring merchandise.
Sales at Gap were double analysts' estimates. The retailer said discounts on men's and women's sweaters at its namesake stores and price cuts at its Old Navy chain helped lift sales above the 4 percent to 7 percent gain analysts had expected.
Intimate Brands, the biggest retailer of lingerie and bath products in the country, said yesterday that sales had risen 15 percent because of a semiannual sale at its Victoria's Secret stores and new merchandise at its Bath & Body Works chain. Sales had been expected to rise 7 percent to 9 percent.
The Target Corporation, the No. 4 retailer, said sales rose 5.7 percent, including a 6.4 percent increase at its Target discount stores and a 5.4 percent rise at its Mervyn's chain.
Sales at department stores generally lagged the overall gains. Federated Department Stores, operator of Macy's, Bloomingdale's and other chains, had a 4.2 percent gain.
J. C. Penney's gain came as it offered discounts on winter clothes and other apparel. Sales topped the 3 percent to 5.5 percent expected by analysts, though the company said promotions had hurt gross margins.
The Costco Wholesale Corporation, the largest wholesale club operator, said sales rose 11 percent, exceeding forecasts.
Sales might have been stronger if winter storms in the South and the East had not closed stores and prevented shoppers from reaching malls, companies said. Same-store sales along the East Coast lagged the nationwide increase, said the TeleCheck division of the First Data Corporation, which reviewed shoppers' checks at 27,000 stores.Continue reading the main story


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2022 Apple Watch Features Leak: Blood Pressure Monitor Delayed and More
Apple Watches won’t be getting a blood pressure monitor until at least 2024, reads a new report.
According to Bloomberg, the Apple Watch’s long-rumoured updated sensor and software are designed to determine if you have high blood pressure, but apparently struggled to give accurate readings during testing.
“The company has teams working on an updated sensor and software for the Apple Watch that would determine if a user has high blood pressure, but accuracy has been a challenge during testing, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private,” reads the report. “The feature has been planned for at least four years, but it’s probably two years away from hitting the market and may slip until 2025, they said.”
In addition to the blood pressure sensor, the Cupertino company is working on a non-invasive blood sugar monitoring for the Apple Watch, though it is still under early development and no slated date has been targeted. Meanwhile, the company is also developing improved support for third-party glucose meters on the smartwatch as well as in the iPhone Health app.
The latter can be expected as part of the upcoming features on watchOS 9. The new software version is also expected to add a “low power” mode that saves battery life on some Apple Watch models. Other health add-ons that are coming at least for this year include new women’s health, sleep, fitness, and medication management features.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also shared details of what’s expected for Apple Watch:
- body temperature sensor “as early as this year” to help with fertility planning
- Atrial fibrillation feature to calculate ‘burden’, the state of afib across a certain timespan in watchOS 9
- New lower power mode in watchOS 9 to expand to apps and features, not just time
- New watch faces
- More workouts and metrics within the Workout app
- Up to 3 new Apple Watches in 2022: Series 8; SE; upscale model with rugged casing for extreme athletes
- Satellite connectivity to Apple Watch: emergency texting and SOS response features
Also coming is an updated Health app for iPhone with more sleep tracking, medicine management and women’s health features. Gurman says a new feature will let users scan pill bottles into the Health app.
Apple made health and fitness one of the Apple Watch’s key elements. In 2020, the Apple Watch Series 6 introduced a sensor that can measure blood oxygen levels and added Fitness+, a subscription service offering workout routines and more.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is expected to be unveiled this fall.


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Tomb Raider multiplayer confirmed
After the rumors circulating about the new Tomb Raider having multiplayer for a week or so, Official Xbox Magazine has confirmed that there will be in fact multiplayer. The magazine will consist of an article on the topic which will be available for subscribers tomorrow December 29th, 2012. This issue of OXM will hit the newsstands for everyone else January 8th, 2013.
The very cover of this OXM issues (featured below) has Lara on it with big font text saying “Tomb Raider multiplayer revealed.” All the information that is released is that the publication will describe the multiple modes in Tomb Raider; while that’s not a whole lot right now, if gives us a bit the heads up that it won’t be just one thing.
The cat will be out of the bag tomorrow, until then we can only speculate.


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Aiming to surpass the current record held by Germany, the incredible tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico believes it has what it takes to gather together 10,000 coffee drinkers, both locals and tourists alike, to rally the “largest number of coffee drinkers simultaneously” as the city vies to land its name in the Guinness Book of World Records. This exciting event, which will help further promote the wonders of Puerto Vallarta, is set to take place this coming December 16, 2017. Germany currently holds the record for an event (which took place in 2009) when 8,162 people drank coffee at the same time. The event in Puerto Vallarta was first announced 9 months prior to its date so that the city has adequate time to properly plan and promote it.
The Guinness Book of World Records is one of the most popular books in the world, with more than 3 million books sold which have been published in 22 different languages and distributed in 100 countries. It also has a strong following on social media, with more than 12 million visitors to its Facebook page, 14 million visitors to its website and over 50,000 followers on Instagram. With so many people clearly interested in the Guinness Book of World Records, it makes holding a record within the organization a very desireable thing indeed and that is precisely why Puerto Vallarta is organizing this event to potentially land its name in the book. The city of Puerto Vallarta will be looking to its locals and visitors to harness the power of social media in order to spread the word about the event. The more participants the better, and social media is a wonderful tool in getting information out to the masses.
Coffee plants grow naturally in many areas near Puerto Vallarta, allowing local residents and tourists alike to experience the incredibly fresh flavors of locally grown coffee. This special event will not only help bring a greater awareness and appreciation of this delicious treat that can be sourced locally, it will also be a terrific reminder that Puerto Vallarta is a remarkable world-class destination that offers some of the most unique vacation experiences on the planet. Organizers of the event hope that the waterfront Pacific coast city will garner attention on an international scale thanks to its new connection with the Guinness Book of World Records.
Why not join in on the fun of this thrilling event when Puerto Vallarta attempts to gain its place in the Guinness Book of World Records!


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Facebook currently stores more than 240 billion user photos, and it's adding an extra 350 million every day. As of now, the company stores all this data on standard mechanical hard disks, but Jay Parikh, VP of infrastructure engineering, wants to move everyone's photos to flash memory — and he's looking for help. The problem, as Wired reports, is one of cost and quality; today's flash memory is still expensive, and designed to store data that's persistently accessed, making it unsuitable for the kind of "cold storage" that Facebook needs.
That's why Parikh is calling upon the world to create a new kind of flash memory — one designed only for occasional data retrievals, which would lower Facebook's power consumption while giving its software engineers greater flexibility. "We want a continuum of options," Parikh said recently. "Today, the spectrum is very coarse. There’s tape on one end. There’s flash on the other end. And spinning disks in the middle. And that’s it."


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Seasoned bridal vendors melded with shops and restaurants in The Quarter at Tropicana on Sunday as the Bliss Bridal Expo attempted to break the mold of traditional bridal shows.
Unlike many shows held in halls and ballrooms, brides-to-be at Sunday’s show sampled what vendors had to offer while wandering the Tropicana Casino and Resort’s retail and shopping area — a location that organizers hoped would result in patrons staying longer and visiting the businesses at the casino.
While many bridal shows take place in sectioned off venues, Sunday’s event at the Tropicana invited brides to wander throughout the The Quarter as they visited tables of nearly 60 vendors throughout the casino’s shopping area. Organizers said that setup allowed brides to gather information, take a relaxed break to visit restaurants and shops, and perhaps return after discussing options with their party.
Now in it’s seventh year, Bliss Bridal Expo is presented by The Press of Atlantic City.
“Every year there’s an increasing amount of bridal shows, and we thought it was time to test something new,” said Rhona Bronson, marketing director for The Press of Atlantic City. “In this situation, it’s really a synergy with Tropicana.”
The show’s design also attracted participation of some businesses that wouldn’t normally think about seeking work through a bridal show.
Carmine’s, an Italian restaurant located in The Quarter, was among those vendors that fit that category. The restaurant offered samplings of its selections and promoted the restaurant for bachelor and bachelorette parties as well as rehearsal dinners. The restaurant also offers catering, said Susan Wallace, the restaurant’s catering and special events coordinator.
“This really was the perfect backdrop for us. After seeing how successful today was, I think we’d look to do this again,” Wallace said.
Brides-to-be stood out at The Quarter, where those who registered for the event could be seen wearing sashes that said, “I do AC,” a nod to the Atlantic City Alliance’s marketing campaign. Those sashes gave vendors and store owners an indication of those who had planned ahead to come to the event. At The Old Farmer’s Almanac General Store, employees said they used the event as an opportunity to tell brides that they could make a registry at the store.
Traditional vendors took part in Sunday’s event as well, and in many cases found creative ways to showcase their offerings. Northfield-based Tesi Bridal & Formal displayed dresses by hanging them in the entranceway of Cuba Libre, and models wearing wedding dresses walked throughout The Quarter displaying the styles.
“This has been a good vibe, a lot of people, a lot of brides,” said Irene Kosachuk, a sales consultant for Tesi. “It’s a really entertaining atmosphere.”
Contact Jennifer Bogdan:
Follow Jennifer Bogdan on Twitter @ACPressJennifer


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“There is a massive problem with underage smoking and drinking everywhere you just have to walk through the park every weekend to see that, but what I sell is also helping hundreds of people cut down or stop smoking and save a lot of money in the meantime.
“I’ve paid a lot of money to develop our products and make sure they’re as safe and affordable as I can but like anything [else] other people will sell a cheaper, less safe or tested product, but it’s unfair to judge everyone on that.”
In one end of an e-cigarette there is liquid nicotine, and in the other a rechargeable battery and an atomiser. When the user sucks, the liquid nicotine is vaporised and absorbed through the mouth. What looks like smoke is largely water vapour.
Because there is no tobacco in e-cigarettes, there is no tar and it is the tar in ordinary cigarettes that kills.
Under proposals from the European Commission the regulations on selling e-cigarettes are set to be beefed up.
Should MEPs vote in favour of the legislation, e-cigarettes will become a medicinal entity.
To read what Leader readers had to say on the subject, see page 18.


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Two Chinese Bitcoin-Mining Equipment-Makers Plan $1 Billion Hong Kong Listings: IFR
Two Chinese bitcoin-mining equipment-makers plan to raise up to $1 billion each from Hong Kong listings this year, riding on strong global interest in cryptocurrencies, IFR reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the plans.
Canaan Creative filed a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Monday, IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication, reported.
Zhejiang Ebang Communication has also started working with advisers on a proposed Hong Kong float of up to $1 billion, reported IFR.
Ebang listed on China’s National Equities Exchange and Quotations, also known as the New Third Board, in 2015 and was delisted from the over-the-counter market in March after announcing in January that it would seek a Hong Kong listing.
Chinese bitcoin mining equipment makers are hungry for capital to fund their growth as the heightened interest in cryptocurrencies has led to a surge in demand for their machines.
Canaan, which sells “Avalon” mining machines with customized super-fast ASIC chips, made revenue of more than 1 billion yuan ($158 million) in 2017. Although cryptocurrencies can be mined using regular computer equipment, specialized processing devices dedicated to mining are more effective and can generate more income.
Company Co-Chairman Jianping Kong told Reuters in April that he expected China’s push to promote the domestic chip industry to help drive growth for the company.
Credit Suisse, CMB International, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley are joint sponsors for Canaan’s float, according to IFR.
Canaan Creative declined to comment. Ebang could not be immediately reached for comment. All the banks didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Canaan’s IPO valuation has yet to be set as there is no listed comparable and the prices of cryptocurrencies have fluctuated a lot, reported IFR. It was valued at $500 million in mid-2017, IFR said.
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- 5UnionPay International’s U Plan has covered over 1600 stores overseas


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Hello and thank you for joining us as we present this week's edition of The Neopian News Brief, your all-in-one guide to the latest events from the world of Neopia. There is quite a lot to discuss today, so let's get started...
Our lead item this week is the arrival of the ghost paint brush. Thanks to the addition of this latest style, your pets can now visit the Rainbow Pool and really get into the "spirit" of Halloween. The stampede to transform regular Neopets into haunting apparitions began on Wednesday, when Moehogs and Shoyrus became the first species available in this new style. Thursday saw Jetsams, Aishas, and Chias joining the fray, much to the delight of their owners. With Halloween quickly approaching, it's pretty safe to say that there'll be plenty of demand for ghost pb's in the days and weeks to come.
During these past few days, the Rainbow Pool has truly become Neopia's place to be. Along with the arrival of ghost paint brushes, this week also saw a number of species take on some new paint brush styles. On Monday, the release of orange Peophins meant a debut for the new yellow Peophin. This arrival was joined by the premiere of pink Kacheeks and Halloween Meercas. With so many new styles arriving, there's never been a better time to get your pets painted!
With Starry Scorchios making their way into Limited Too stores throughout the U.S., Tuesday saw the unveiling of Starry Scorchio items. If you are really, really lucky, your collectable card may contain a code that can be redeemed for one of these items, such as a Starry Scorchio amulet or wand.
However, in order to keep their rarities high (and values up), not all of the Starry Scorchio cards will have codes that give out Starry Scorchio items. Instead, you might receive a Cybunny Bank or White Aisha Cake, which are not Starry Scorchio-related. If this happens, it's not some sort of glitch or error; it's just a way for the Starry Scorchio items to be worth more than 500 NPs a week after they're released ; )
Ever since making its debut on Tuesday, Santa Clause 2: Wheel of Words has slowly picked up a reputation as a great way to earn easy NPs in a hurry. After playing a few times and learning the puzzles, you can really clean up by saving the most common letters for when you land on the jackpots. Additionally, the game allows you to send out customised Christmas lists, which can tell your friends and family what you would like to find under the tree this year. The best part is, you get twenty-five NPs for each list that you send, so you can earn up to 750 NPs a day sending out lists. Not too shabby...
Okay, so they might not have ghost pb's (not yet, at least) but that doesn't mean that the Petpets couldn't get in on all this paint brush action. On Monday, lucky Sludgy owners got the chance to paint their beloved Petpets one of four new colours: pink, green, spotted, and cloud. Then, on Thursday, Bearogs became available in red, pink, green and cloud.
As you all know, with Halloween on the way, some of the less-popular spooky Petpets have been replaced with new Petpets during the past few weeks. Well, on Monday a quartet of new spooky Petpets was introduced. Now, your pet can have a Furwitch, Candy Vampire, Snorlkin, or Gremble as their very own spooky little sidekick.
After last week's triumphant artichoke bomb sale at the Smuggler's Cove, a formidable task faced shopkeepers throughout Neopia. How could they possibly come up with something to top such an incredible item? Well, a number of them took up the challenge, and after many rugged days of hunting high and low, it was the Hidden Tower that succeeded in unveiling... the Yo-Yo of Death! That's right, now you can loop the loop, walk the dog, and crack your foes upside the skull! Okay, so perhaps brandishing a yo-yo is about as intimidating as bringing a "Tiddlywink of Doom" to the Battledome, but take our word for it... this is one yo-yo that's NOT to be toyed with!
With the week drawing to a close, all of Neopia gathered to celebrate their favourite fanged flyers. That's right, it could only be... the Korbats! Even thought the festivities began a day early, on Friday Korbats received the full compliment of books, Battledome weapons and baked goods, as well as three more paint brush styles (baby, Halloween, and ghost). There were also Korbats featured in this week's Caption and Poetry Contests, as well as Friday's Pet Spotlight. Way to go, Korbats!
Now, it's time to look at today's stories from the world of finance. With three straight weeks of staggering losses, most investors had no idea what to expect from the market. Most had given up on a "rebound rally" by this point, while others seemed certain that the economy couldn't possibly sink any lower. So then, when The Big Board closed out the week with a relatively modest sixteen-point loss, most financial forecasters breathed a guarded sigh of relief.
With the steep slide of past weeks seemingly under control, many analysts are ready to step forward and declare this prime bargain-hunting season. One such possible steal might be Jacko and Sons Painting Ltd., which was one of three companies that jumped over the 15 NP mark when their shares climbed an impressive ten points. Despite inhospitable market conditions, Chiatech Password Security joined Jacko and Sons, also seeing their stock jump ten NPs.
However, the rest of the economy remained locked in the jaws of a vicious Bear Market. Among those taking the biggest hit, once again, was The Neopian Auction House, whose shares fell for the fourth consecutive week, stumbling another fourteen points. Mynci Imports, the Big Board's second most valuable company, also suffered terribly. They fell nine points, closing the week out at thirty-two NPs a share.
Following last week's report on the recent profits turned by Virtupets, a closer look today reveals that this mysterious company manages to hold steady, even gaining a point while other companies continue losing their shirts. Throughout Neopia, cries of "foul play!" have been raised against those who place their NP with this nefarious corporation. Many ask if it's ethical to profit from a company that appears thoroughly involved in so many misdeeds. Meanwhile, others respond that, without concrete evidence of any wrongdoing, it makes no sense not to jump on the Virtupets bandwagon, especially when things are going so poorly for the rest of the economy.
So then, is now really the time to take the plunge, or will this Bear Market continue to roar? Will The Neopian Auction House finally bounce back, or will they be superceded by rising stars like Jacko and Sons, Chiatech Security, or even (dare we say it) Virtupets?!? Only time will tell....


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A multistate theft ring is targeting customers at Whole Foods markets and Panera Bread cafes, stealing wallets and credit cards from distracted shoppers, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say. According to a search warrant filed in the case, members of a South American ring quickly spend thousands of dollars with the stolen credit cards. The thieves often buy gift cards, which are difficult to trace and have become popular currency in hiding thefts of this type. ... A year ago, police in Boulder, Colo., reported a similar wallet theft at that city’s Whole Foods. The victim was shopping when she said her cart was rammed by one being pushed by a Latino male. In the resulting commotion, she didn’t realize her wallet had been taken, according to police reports.Can't you just see the white liberal apologizing when her cart is rammed by a Latino? There she is, getting a fix of organic food, feeling all Earth-y and noble, and suddenly she's smacked by an authentic peasant she can feel sorry for. But while savoring that rush of self-sacrificing altruism, she's being ripped off. Almost poetic, isn't it?
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Latino crime ring descends on Charlotte
Ah, the endless dividends of diversity. Opening the gates and calling out "Y'all come!" to the world has allowed all sorts of interesting characters into the country, including a nationwide theft ring from South America that targets suburban whites:
Posted by Old Rebel at Tuesday, February 11, 2014


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As interest in African travel booms, airlines are taking note and offering more flights to more destinations than ever. Rather than flying into a major hub (say, Johannesburg or Cairo) and then connecting to local service, several companies now have flights to some unexpected regions. For example, German flag-carrier Lufthansa has just announced that as of November, they will be offering flights between Frankfurt and Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo.
We checked in with Don Bunkenburg, director of corporate business North America, to find out more.
“Lufthansa, in general, is looking at increasing service to Africa [along] with their partners,” he said. Okay, but why?
As in everything, he explained, it’s all about supply and demand…and Africa has plenty of supplies that are in great demand. Congo, he said, is “the sixth-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa,” and also has many mines. Lufthansa offers service to man other oil-rich destinations—Houston, Calgary and others—so the Congo is a logical addition. “The increased demand for travel to Congo [is] driven by corporate business—mostly oil business. We have a very good presence in oil markets, and we also have an Oil-and-Energy club—a card that gives travelers involved in the oil business special perks—so we’re involved in that segment worldwide.”
In general, Bunkenburg said, Lufthansa is “seeing an increase in demand for travel to Africa.” That demand is not only in terms of growing businesses and economies, he added, but also in what he calls “ethnic business”—visiting friends and family and exploring heritage. Above all, he said, “with political stability increasing in parts of Africa, there is increased demand to go there…We wouldn’t fly somewhere if we didn’t see an increase in demand—and it must be mix of premium traffic and non-premium.”
“We have a specific strategic focus on growth in Africa,” he continued. Lufthansa already flies to 18 African destinations, and the company looking to grow in other areas. Among all of Lufthansa’s airlines (including Swiss, Austrian and Brussels), 35 African cities now have first-class airlift service.
Lufthansa has launched an initiative with Ethiopian Airlines to build a hub to help serve other African destinations, and the company is looking for partners to build more. “We already have some in North,” Bunkenburg said, “and now we’re looking for a sub-Saharan partner. We’re looking to grow; we’re looking for further opportunities. This is just one step. It will be driven by an increase in business activity, and also leisure activity. It has to be a healthy mix of passengers. We’re seeing more opportunities that we’re looking into.”


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COVID-19 antigen self-test kits now available in Shanxi
A customer picks up a COVID-19 antigen self-testing kit in a pharmacy in Shanxi. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]
Pharmacies in North China's Shanxi province recently started selling COVID-19 antigen self-testing kits to further optimize testing.
The kits are generally used for early screening of infections and are mainly suitable for people who visit local medical institutions within five days of experiencing respiratory symptoms or fever and who are undergoing quarantine, as well as residents who want to take a test themselves.
Residents can buy the kits through retail pharmacies and online sales platforms.
People are advised to read the instructions and follow them carefully when conducting the test and it must be emphasized that the antigen test results cannot replace nucleic acid test results.
Those who receive positive antigen test results, regardless of whether they have respiratory, fever or other symptoms of the epidemic, should immediately report to the communities in villages and towns where they reside. They must take nucleic acid tests at designated medical institutions and carry out further epidemic prevention and control measures if necessary.


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City watchdog bans Binance crypto exchange
UK division barred over lack of money laundering controls
Britain’s financial regulator has blacklisted one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency marketplaces over its failure to meet money-laundering controls.
The Financial Conduct Authority told Binance at the weekend to stop regulated activities in the UK in one of the biggest clampdowns yet by the watchdog on the fast-growing industry.
Binance Markets Limited, the UK division of the cryptocurrency exchange, must withdraw all of its advertising by the close of business on Wednesday. The firm was also ordered to post a prominent notice on its website warning consumers that it is barred from conducting regulated business.
It is a blow to Binance, which claims on its website to facilitate more than 1.4 million transactions per second.
The group was founded four years ago by Changpeng Zhao,


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SolutionInc Announces SolutionIP X
June 28, 2022 – Orlando, Florida. SolutionInc proudly announces the upcoming launch of the next generation of their SolutionIP® gateway with the release of SolutionIP X.
Recognized as a world leader in hospitality gateway solutions for more than 25 years, SolutionInc is set to release SolutionIP X, a new multi-tenant cloud gateway management platform, adding to their already robust set of guest-facing products and services.
For years, SolutionInc has been known as innovators and experts in the hospitality industry. Their newest product launch, SolutionIP X is their next generation in managed Wi-Fi gateway platforms. Easy to deploy and configure, this modern, multi-tenant platform allows service providers to centrally configure and manage a multitude of property networks from one portal. It provides central configuration, management, monitoring and reporting regardless of network size or complexity. Integrators and operators can connect to their custom portal instance and quickly create and manage their networks, regardless of deployment specifications.
“Our partners need easy-to-use, centralized portal tools that offer seamless guest access, a comprehensive business rule suite, and robust network features. SolutionIP X has been created to do just that and allows our hotel customers to deliver on the guest experience today's traveller demands,” said Glen Lavigne, President and CEO.
SolutionInc will be exhibiting and taking orders at HITEC 2022 in Orlando at booth #646. For more information, visit the SolutionInc website here. To book a meeting with SolutionInc at HITEC 2022 in Orlando, please contact Beth Hamilton at firstname.lastname@example.org.
SolutionInc was founded in 1997 with the vision of providing simple access to the Internet on public networks. Today, SolutionInc removes the complexity of networks and uses modern practices to launch their customers into the future of Wi-Fi technologies. With strategic partners in more than 50 countries, the SolutionInc team is prepared to assist in your network authentication, automation, and management. Learn more about this world leader in hospitality gateway solutions at https://www.solutioninc.com.
Product & Marketing Manager


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The dollar doesn’t have a fixed value—it goes up and down, relative to other currencies. And if Congress passes Ryan’s plan, most economists expect the value of the dollar to go up (for reasons just complicated enough to warrant skipping over here). This will make imports cheaper—cheap enough that the new tax doesn’t really matter.
“The way I think about it, the currency adjustment is paying the tax,” Pomerleau said.
“My view is that the exchange-rate adjustment will be relatively substantial and relatively quick,” Gale agreed.
At the same time, the stronger dollar makes the prospect of tax-free exports a bit less exciting. Sure, our Pennsylvania woodworker isn’t paying any taxes on his sales to Mexico—but since the dollar has appreciated in value against the peso, Mexican decorators can’t afford to buy as many tables. So the woodworker brings in less revenue.
In short, it’s a wash. To spur domestic manufacturing growth, Trump wants to put pressure on imports. But because of the floating U.S. dollar, Paul Ryan’s plan probably won’t give it to him. He’s barking up the wrong tree.
Not that economists particularly care. “It’s possible to support a good policy for a bad reason,” Pomerleau said.
But it might be a bad policy
Not everyone is convinced the Ryan proposal will work as planned. Right now, the retail industry is in a state of hyperventilation; a number of larger importers, including Walmart and Toyota, have joined a coalition opposing the plan. Many fear the promised currency re-evaluation might arrive too slowly, or never come at all, leaving importers with a crushing tax bill.
One man who holds this belief is Rick Helfenbein, the president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Helfenbein help create Le Tigre; before joining AAFA, he headed the U.S. operations of a major Asian clothing manufacturer. In all his years, he’s never seen the strength of the U.S. dollar as having much of an impact on his bottom line, largely because his supply chain always accepted American currency, and rarely dealt with local fiat.
“We buy in dollars, we live in dollars, we sleep in dollars,” he said. “I think in theory, [the economists] probably get it right. But in practicality, they’re probably getting it wrong. If you phase this in over a 10- or 20-year period, maybe the currencies would have time to adjust. But the way a Trump tweet works,” and here he laughs, “they’re going to want to do this tomorrow.”
So if the American dollar doesn’t bulk up as expected, what happens? Exporters might be happy—they’ll be able to move a lot of product with no taxes. But importers will take a bath, and America imports a lot of things. The first to be hit will be clothing brands—97 percent of all clothes and 98 percent of shoes are shipped in from abroad. Faced with a big tax bill, they’ll increase prices to compensate, which will bubble up to the retailers. Customers will buy fewer clothes, and maybe some stores will close, taking their jobs with them.


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Heineken completes purchase of Kindest Place's APB stake
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken (HEIN.AS) said on Tuesday it had completed its purchase of the 8.6 percent stake in Asia Pacific Breweries APBB.SI held by Kindest Place Group.
Heineken, the world's third-largest brewer, has bid S$53 per share to buy the holdings in Tiger beer maker APB that it does not already own.
It took a major step towards that aim last week when Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's Thai Beverage PCL (TBEV.SI) and TCC Assets Ltd said they would vote in favor of the sale of Singapore conglomerate Fraser and Neave's (FRNM.SI) stake in Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd APBB.SI to Heineken.
Kindest Place is owned by Charoen's son-in-law.
(Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop)
- U.S. small businesses borrowed more money in January than they did a year earlier, signaling continued growth in the economy despite a spate of cold weather that has been blamed for weakness in many other indicators of activity.
BEIJING/HONG KONG - China reiterated its opposition on Thursday to a European Union plan to limit airline carbon dioxide emissions and called for talks to resolve the issue a day after its major airlines refused to pay any carbon costs under the new law.


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ADOTAS – Local business listing management service Yext has raised $10 million in a Series D round of funding led by WGI Group, the investment vehicle of former Right Media founder, President and CEO Mike Walrath. Oh, and he’s not just an investor — Walrath is the chairman as well, a position he assumed in March. Walrath first jumped on board the Yext train during a $25 million Series C round back in October 2009. Existing investors IVP, Ron Conway’s SV Angel, and Sutter Hill Ventures also participated in the round.
Originally a pay-per-call service, Yext introduced local search dashboard PowerListings (known as Tags at launch) last year to much fanfare. The service allows local businesses to control their listings across various local search products (Yelp, Google, CitySearch, etc.,) and maintain a uniform and correct appearance. Also, the platform enables these businesses to offer specials and discounts, as well as send different messages to consumers from platform to platform.
Yext CEO Howard Lerman wrote on the company blog that Yext has signed up 4,000 (paying) clients in the last 100 days. The new funding will be used to further accelerate adoption of PowerListings, making it “an essential system for every business,” he writes.


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SoftBank, the Japanese internet and telecommunication group headed by CEO Masayoshi Son has pledged an investment of $10 billion (over Rs.60,000 crore) in India’s IT and communications space, one of the biggest investment commitments from a Japanese firm after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to that country. With a market cap of $92 billion, SoftBank has operations in broadband, fixed line telecom, e-commerce, finance, media and marketing. It is the largest shareholder in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd (37 percent). The company has plans of investing the amount of $10 billion over 10 years. After announcing its entry, it boosted the signal by investing huge cash into Indian Ecommerce market. By investing $627 million in Delhi-based e-commerce player Snapdeal, headed by Kunal Bahl (co-founder and chief executive) the company entered the Indian e-commerce market which is worth $13 billion today which is expected to touch $90 billion by 2021 according to analysts. It has also become the largest investor in Snapdeal.
Snapdeal was starving to raise funds, as local industry leader Flipkart raised $1 billion in July, and global e-commerce giant Amazon pledged further $2 billion in its India unit. By this funding Snapdeal, four years old company has raised about $1 billion this calendar year. Snapdeal plans to use the money to increase the supply chain and to maximize fulfilment centres to 30 cities, with current level of 40 fulfilment centres in 15 cities.SoftBank have joined the club of Snapdeal investors which include eBay, Kalaari Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Intel Capital and Saama Capital, Temasek, BlackRock Inc, Myriad, Premji Invest and Tybourne and IndoUS Venture Partners.
SoftBank is also pumping a fund of $210 million in startup company Olacabs, taxi aggregator which competes directly with Uber. SoftBank already has investments in Indian companies, including InMobi and Hike.
Source – Reuters, LiveMint


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American Airlines restored access to its reservation system on Tuesday afternoon after a four-hour long outage that grounded its flights across the U.S.
A U.S. government watchdog agency has found that nearly half of 14 large ongoing military IT projects are over budget and more than half are behind schedule.
While it's important to remember that the use of Google Android software in the enterprise is still a comparatively young phenomenon, there are a few general guidelines that businesses looking to use the platform would do well to remember.
Worldwide spending on IT products and services will grow 4.1 percent this year to roughly US$3.8 trillion, according to new forecast figures released by analyst firm Gartner.
Project failures such as Novopay teachers' payroll system and the Work and Income kiosk security breach have increased the need for more accountability in the IT profession.
Microsoft has announced some key details of how it will introduce Dynamics ERP (enterprise resource planning) software products to the cloud computing model, from initial release dates to the precise role of partners.
Yahoo recently made waves when CEO Marissa Mayer revoked all work-from-home arrangements and mandated that employees show up at the office. However, the real-world data Mayer reportedly based her decision upon is not a valid metric for work-from-home...
Few tech industry buzzwords have gotten as vigorous a workout as "Big Data," but while the hype remains plentiful, it is starting to give way to real-life successes as well as formal ways companies can develop big data strategies, according to a numb...
Apple products like the iPad, iPhone, and Mac are enigmas to most IT departments. Users love them, and they prove Apple items' value as productivity tools. However, Apple seems to eschew IT's traditional top-down management philosophy. At least that'...
Imagine an organisation where employees are given several consecutive months of vacation every year. It sounds like a dream, but in the era of BYOD, it could also be an IT exec's worst nightmare.
Stuart Walters, IT director at international law firm Taylor Wessing, has urged other CIOs and IT managers to engage with customer facing lines of business, such as sales and marketing, in a bid to avoid the emergence of shadow IT.
Some school administrators are testing a bold idea to integrate the multitude of systems that are used to store student data, giving teachers a single view of how students are performing and allowing them to better deliver the right learning material...
Intel has expanded its bring-your-own-device (BYOD) program, which has been a resounding success, providing around 5 million hours of annual productivity gains last year, the company said.
SAP customers have made it no secret they believe the vendor's software licensing and pricing is far too complex, and a top company leader recently made a public pledge that things are changing for the better. But a recently created internal SAP docu...
The professional association for public sector ICT management’s (Socitm) latest annual IT Trends report, now in its 26th year, has found that the use of smartphones, tablets and bring your own device (BYOD) schemes have come out as the top priorities...
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Take-Two's former Chief Accounting Officer and former lawyer, Patty Tay and Kenneth Selterman, have announced they are pleading guilty to charges of falsifying business records whilst working at Take-Two.
As reported by Bloomberg
, Patty Tay and Kenneth Selterman have entered guilty pleas after an employee stock options backdating investigation revealed their crimes.
This isn't the first time that game publishers have been found to have been fiddling with company records and, in February, Take-Two's former Chief Executive Officer, Ryan Brant, also pleaded guilty to falsifying records. Brant was punished with a $7.26 million fine and five years probation.
Recently, Robbie Bach has also come under suspicion of corruption from gaming communities too. Robbie, President of Microsoft's Entertainment Division, sold off $6.2 million of Xbox 360 stocks
without pre-scheduling the sales, just before Peter Moore pledged $1 billion
to fix the admittedly faulty hardware of the Xbox 360.
Peter Moore then left Microsoft to head up EA Sports
just before Microsoft posted losses of $1.9 billion
for the Xbox line.
Take-Two replaced the entire management team earlier this year in response to the false records scandal, hoping that the new managers would be able to turn around five quarters of consecutive losses for the company.
Can we trust game publishers and large corporations? Does it matter anyway? Drop us your thoughts and confessions in the forums


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YourTango.com recently conducted a survey in collaboration with Ford on the impact riding in a car has on a relationship.
According to the results, 90 percent of the couples surveyed who indicated they had gone on a road trip together said the experience strengthened their relationship. Of the respondents, 50 percent of them said they used a sedan for their travels, so Ford is highlighting how its Fusion is the perfect car for couples hitting the road. It's also a good idea to equip it with Husky Liners® vehicle floor mats in order to protect from stains and spills.
"More and more couples are taking road trips due to the high cost of airfare and because it gives you the opportunity to take your vehicle with you to explore new places," says Samantha Hoyt, Fusion marketing manager. "We're excited most couples choose a sedan to travel in, and we've designed Fusion to meet the needs of couples who enjoy getaways by providing an inviting and comfortable interior in a car that is really fun to drive."
The Ford Fusion was also named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, making it not only a romantic car for a road trip, but also a safe one.


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Vail Resorts to require proof of vaccination for guests at cafeterias along with all workers
No reservations system will be used to access the mountain in 2021-22
Proof of vaccination will be required of guests wishing to dine indoors, but will not be required for an indoor bathroom visit, according to Vail Resorts’ 2021-22 winter operating plan published Monday.
The ski operator also announced face coverings will be required at its properties in indoor settings, including in restaurants, lodging properties, restrooms, retail and rental locations, and buses, during the 2021-22 ski season.
Employees will also be required to be vaccinated “for their safety and protection as well as the safety and protection of guests and resort communities, and in compliance with the recent rules announced under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration,” according to the operating plan.
Vail and Beaver Creek spokesperson John Plack said current employees who are not vaccinated have until Nov. 15 to do so.
Vail is still on track for a Nov. 12 opening, according to a release sent out on Monday.
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Vail Resorts ski areas in the U.S. will not require a reservation this season, a policy which is consistent with messaging put out by CEO Rob Katz in a letter to passholders this spring.
In Monday’s announcement, Katz said the company is fortunate in the fact that the core experience it provides for guests takes place outdoors.
“However, as we welcome guests from around the world to the indoor experience at our resorts, we feel it’s important to do our part to combat the spread of COVID-19,” Katz said. “We all need the opportunity to enjoy and experience the great outdoors, and we could not be more excited to welcome guests back to our resorts for the 2021-22 ski and ride season.”
Other key details from the announcement include Vail Resorts’ plan to operate gondolas at normal capacity, “optimizing guest movement around its resorts.”
Face coverings will not be required outdoors, in lift lines, or on chairlifts or gondolas, unless required by local public health orders, Vail Resorts confirmed.
Reservations will still be required for dining, but the company is expecting “significantly more seating and dining capacity than last season, and intends to open reservations one day prior, versus the day-of last season.”
Proof of vaccination will be required for guests ages 12 and over at all indoor, on-mountain quick-service (cafeteria-style) restaurants, and the requirement includes guests 12 and over in ski and ride school programs that include lunch.
The proof of vaccination requirement does not apply to fine dining establishments like The 10th at Vail.
“Consistent with many other large-scale indoor activities and venues, Vail Resorts believes the vaccine requirement is important for the protection of its guests and employees, given the number of people using these facilities and the fact that guests will not be wearing face coverings while eating and drinking,” the company stated. “This is currently the only part of the resort experience that will require proof of vaccination, unless required by local public health.”
More details from the operating plan are available at Snow.com/info/winter-experience.


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2019 Ford Ranger Black Appearance Package
In an expected turn of events, Ford revealed the new 2019 Ford Ranger Black Appearance Package. Joining all other manufacturers who offer darkened editions of their trucks and cars, the Ranger Black Appearance Package includes all the standard shaded tricks, and it is available for all trims. The Black Appearance Package joins the arsenal of appearance packages for the Ranger that also include the Sport Appearance Package ($895), Chrome Appearance Package ($795), and an STX appearance package for the Ranger XL.
2018 Ford Mustang RTR
Part of the Ford Mustang’s appeal lies in its ability to be easily customized. We’ve seen so many versions of the ‘Stang over the years, and there are a handful of them that are head and shoulders above the rest, including the Ford Mustang RTR. Created by Ford in partnership with Pro Formula Drift driver Vaughn Gittin Jr., the Mustang RTR stands tall as one of the sickest interpretations of the iconic muscle car. It’s essentially a Mustang on steroids, accomplished in part because Ford is always looking for ways to improve the car’s status as one of the best pony machines in the market today.
Those of you who are familiar with the RTR badge will know that it’s become somewhat of a tradition for Ford and Gittin Jr. to collaborate on this specific kind of creation. In fact, the past decade has given birth to a good number of Mustang RTRs, ranging from the subtle to the over-the-top. Hard to think of the 2014 Mustang RTR as anything but outlandish, but that’s the whole point on why the RTR badge has become synonymous with Ford’s legendary muscle car. This year, a new version of the Mustang RTR is set to make its debut at the 2017 SEMA Show, and really, where else would it do it? Ford and Gittin Jr.’s aftermarket firm are once again heavily involved in its creation, and the result is nothing short of our expectations. Improved looks, more power, and a seal of approval from one of the best race drifters in the world. This is what awaits us when we get a hold of the latest version of the Mustang RTR.
Updated 01/29/2019: We added a new set of images taken during the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.
Continue after the jump to read more about the 2018 Ford Mustang RTR
2019 Ford GT Heritage Edition
As if the Ford GT isn’t awesome enough in its own right, Ford is adding to the supercar’s appeal with the launch of a new Heritage Edition showcase, one where the GT gets dressed up in the iconic light blue and orange Gulf Oil livery. The new Heritage Edition model is a fitting follow-up to the red Ford GT Heritage Edition that Ford introduced earlier this month. The Gulf Oil livery isn’t the only unique feature of this new special edition GT; it also comes with a number of exclusive touches, all added to ensure that this special edition model upholds the exclusivity attached to the Gulf Oil livery.
Update 1/29/2019: We’ve updated this review with images we took at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. Enjoy!
2018 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Concept
Ford and Harley-Davidson have established a unique partnership in the auto industry. The latter has a long history of building custom and special edition H-D branded trucks, and the latest example of that is the 2019 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Concept Truck. Developed as a special edition version of the F-150 Super Crew trim, the new F-150 Harley-Davidson Concept was created with the help of Tuscany, a subsidiary of Fox Factory Inc. and a Ford Motor Company specialty vehicle manufacturer in the personal-use segment, to help celebrate the bikemaker’s 115th anniversary.
2018 Ford Explorer Limited Luxury Edition
In a state where SUVs rule the roads, Ford dropped four larger-than-life special edition SUVs at the 2018 Texas State Fair. One of the four models is the Explorer Limited Luxury Edition, a unique take on the popular Explorer SUV that adds appearance upgrades on the vehicle’s exterior and interior. The Ford Explorer Limited Luxury Edition is joined by the Explorer Desert Copper Edition and a pair of Expedition special editions — the Expedition Stealth Edition and the Expedition Texas Edition — in the annual fair.
Ford Explorer Desert Copper Edition
The Ford Explorer was well-represented at the 2018 Texas State Fair after Ford brought a pair of special edition versions, including the Explorer Desert Copper Edition. Created to diversify its Explorer lineup, the Desert Copper Edition is based on the XLT trim of the SUV. The special edition Explorer comes with a number of upgrades in the exterior and interior. The automaker hasn’t said if the Explorer Desert Copper is going to be available to the public, but with the popularity of SUVs these days, don’t be surprised if the Explorer Desert Copper Edition arrives in a dealership near you sooner than later.
Ford Expedition Stealth Edition
Ford was a big participant at the 2018 Texas State Fair, making its presence known thanks to four special edition SUVs. One of those special edition SUVs is the Expedition Stealth Edition, and of the four SUVs, it’s the one that received the most upgrades. The Ford Expedition Stealth Edition, together with the Expedition Texas Edition, will be available to order later this year. Pricing details will be announced soon.
2018 Ford Expedition Texas Edition
Ford balled out at the 2018 Texas State Fair with a pair of special edition Expedition models, one of which was appropriately named the Explorer Texas Edition. Based on the 2019 Expedition Limited trim, the Texas Edition is perfectly identified by unique badging throughout its body. It’s short on visual upgrades like its counterpart, the Expedition Stealth Edition, but it stands out because of its emphasis on hauling, hence the inclusion of a cargo package and Ford’s Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package. The Ford Expedition Texas Edition will be available to order later this year. Pricing details will be announced soon.
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Steeda
After appearing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the new Ford Mustang Bullitt, as well as the original (who left the U.S. first time ever for its stint at Goodwood) left a mark on the gearheads of the world. Particularly those in the U.S. No wonder that the tuning company Steeda, already well known for its Mustang projects, partnered with Galpin Auto Sports and McQueen Racing to deliver the most amazing Mustang Bullitt. This is the Ford Mustang Bullitt by Steeda - it can be a 500 horsepower N/A beast, an 800 horsepower Hellcat killer, or a track-worthy toy with a roll cage. Steeda offered a comprehensive tuning package for the Mustang Bullitt. However, it seems that it only added subtle exterior additions nearing the latest Mustang to its movie star grandfather more than Ford has ever done before.
2018 Ford Mustang Hennessey Heritage Edition
Twenty-seven years ago, in 1991, John Hennessey began modifying cars with the goal of maximizing their potential well beyond what automakers were able to, or wanted to do. Since then, Hennessey has become a household name in the auto world, and to celebrate the company’s 10,000th tuning creation, Hennessey is rolling out 19 units of the Ford Mustang Hennessey Heritage Edition.
2018 The Focus RS Heritage Edition is Here to Bid Farewell to the Current Generation
The current-generation Ford Focus RS has enjoyed an eventful life since it was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. But like all good things, the Focus RS’s time in the sun is about to end. Weep not, though, dear friends, because Ford is giving the hot hatch the proper swan song with the release of the Focus RS Heritage Edition. Limited to just 50 units, the Focus RS Heritage doesn’t dabble in the subtleties. It’s got enough goodies and equipment to make even hardened hot hatch fans tremble in excitement. And, if that little tease isn’t enough to persuade you, maybe the hatch’s bright orange exterior will do the trick.
2017 Ford Ranger Black Edition
Ford is headed to the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and is bringing an impressive lineup with it, one of which is a special edition of Europe’s best-selling pickup truck, the Ford Ranger. It may not look the part at first glance, but the Ford Ranger Black Edition is just that, thanks in part to a limited production of just 2,500 examples across the continent. Of course, it comes dressed in black, hence the name “Black Edition.”
It’s fitting that Ford is bringing a special edition Ranger with it to Frankfurt. The pickup, after all, is regarded as Europe’s best-selling pickup, a title it has earned after posting record sales this year, including 23,100 units sold in July 2017 alone. What better way to celebrate the Ranger’s status than by dressing it up, slapping on new exterior detailing, dialing up on the standard features, and then showcasing it at one of the world’s biggest auto shows. It’s a good move that adds an extra layer of intrigue into the Ranger Black Edition, even though there’s not much about the pickup that counts as an “exclusive” other than the selling point of it coming in “all black” garb. Still, it should make for an interesting vehicle in Frankfurt. And considering the Ranger’s popularity in Europe, Ford shouldn’t have any problems selling the 2,500-unit inventory of the special edition.
Continue reading more about the Ford Ranger Black Edition.
2018 Ford GT ’67 Heritage Edition
It’s hard enough to get your hands on a Ford GT. The ultra exclusive model is sold out over the next four years, which just so happens to be the full life cycle of the supercar. All told, Ford only plans to build 1,000 examples of the GT, amounting to just 250 units per year. So yeah, getting a Ford GT this late in the game is next to impossible. Imagine what those odds will be then now that Ford has released a special livery for 2018 models of the Ford GT. Yup. I don’t like your chances any more than I like mine.
Ford’s new treat for future GT owners is called the ’67 Heritage Edition. If the name itself sounds familiar, that’s because Ford has already released something similar last year. Remember the ’66 Heritage Edition? It’s almost the same as the ’67 version in terms of where they’re inspired from, but in the end, they’re actually two different interpretations in part because the new version pays tribute to the 1967 Le Mans-winning Shelby-American Inc. team that featured racers AJ Foyt and Dan Gurney. Considering that Ford’s success in Le Mans with the original GT40 spanned four years, we could be in store for two more Heritage Editions in 2018 and 2019. For now, though, the spotlight is focused on the ’67 Heritage Edition and the way its treatment is inspired directly from the GT40s that took the checkered flag during the 1967 Le Mans season.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
2017 Ford Mustang Tickford Bathurst ’77 Special Edition
Those of you who are familiar with the Mount Panorama race track in Bathurst, Australia will attest to the circuit’s status as one of the world’s greatest race tracks. The 79-year old circuit is home to the Bathurst 1000, one of the most famous endurance races in the world, and was also the site of Ford’s famous one-two finish back in 1977. Forty years after that memorable triumph, Australian Ford tuner Pickford is rolling out a limited run of Ford Mustang GTs called the Tickford Bathurst ’77 Special.
The limited-run set of Mustangs will feature plenty of cosmetic upgrades, but none are more important than its livery to match the race-winning 1977 Falcon XC Hardtops that racers Allan Moffat and Colin Bond drove to victory 40 years ago. If anything, the special edition Mustang pays tribute to the storied ties between Australian motorsports and the Blue Oval. “We wanted to give fans that either witnessed the famous one-two live, or have come to appreciate the supreme effort after the fact, the chance to own a unique vehicle that has been developed in conjunction with the man that made it happen,” Tickford CEO and Prodrive Racing Australia team boss Tim Edwards said.
Continue after the jump to read more about the Ford Mustang Tickford Bathurst ’77 Special.
2018 Saleen Championship Edition Mustang
Renowned Mustang tuner Saleen hasn’t been doing particularly well in recent years due to financial problems, but it somehow managed to keep most of its nameplates alive and introduce new ones, including a beefed-up Tesla Model S. Now, Saleen is returning to the spotlight with a series of Championship Edition Mustangs that celebrate the Driver, Manufacturer, Team, and Tire SCCA ESCORT Endurance Championships won by the brand’s racing team back in 1987.
Launched in cooperation with General Tire, which was essential to Saleen’s success on the race track in the 1980s, the Championship Edition will break cover by the end of June and will enter production in September 2017. Both road-legal and track-only versions will be built, with the sixth-generation Mustang GT used as a base. Pricing and availability information is still limited, but we’ll be back as soon as we know more.
Continue reading to learn more about the Saleen Championship Edition Mustangs.
2018 Ford Focus RS Limited Edition
The current-generation Ford Focus has given plenty of thrills in spills in the five years that it’s been in production. But now that the existing Blue Oval hatchback is ready to call it a day in 2018, Ford is commemorating the generation switch by bidding adieu to the performance-oriented Focus RS the only way it knows how: a special edition, swan-song model that’s limited to just 1,500 units in North America.
Officially called the Ford Focus RS Limited Edition (couldn’t think of a better name there, Ford?), the exclusive hot hatch comes with plenty of significant improvements over the standard RS counterpart, none more important than a properly functioning technical Quaife limited-slip differential. Yes, Focus RS lovers, our dreams have somewhat come true, albeit in very limited quantities. That issue notwithstanding, the addition of the limited-slip diff is significant for people, myself included, who have cried out to Ford to give the Focus RS the requisite component that makes cornering at high speeds even more of a delight. As awesome as the current generation Focus RS has been, the calls for more front-end grip have never dissipated. Now Ford’s delivering on the request and it’s on us now to reciprocate the gesture in kind. So, to whoever ends up with any of the 1,500 units of the Focus RS Limited Edition, do us a favor and drive the wheels off of it. We’ve all waited long enough.
Continue after the jump to read more about the Ford Focus RS Limited Edition.
2018 Ford GT Competition Series
After intense speculation based on features discovered in the Ford GT’s owner’s manual, FoMoCo unveiled a lightweight version of its new supercar. Called the Competition Series, it shaves weight by dropping luxury items to shift the center of gravity closer to the track for even better road-holding and to maximize output.
Unveiled at the Daytona race track, the site of the GT’s win at the Rolex 24 Hours in January 2017, the supercar adopted a few new and innovative features, as well as extra standard features and carbon-fiber components.
“The Ford GT has racing in its blood,” said Raj Nair, Ford’s executive vice president and chief technical officer. “The Competition Series was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match.”
The Competition Series will go on sale by the end of the year, but pricing and availability information has yet to be announced. Expect the lightweight GT to be produced in even fewer units than the standard model and cost significantly more.
Continue reading to learn more about the Ford GT Competition Series.


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Nvidia has confirmed that its range of PC graphics cards are finally back in stock and at (more or less) normal prices.
For months, graphics cards bearing both Nvidia and AMD GPUs were either out of stock or available only at eye-watering prices because cryptocurrency miners were buying them in bulk, in some cases, straight from the factory gates.
That left PC makers, enthusiasts and PC gamers with little choice but to either shell out or wait for prices to come back down to Earth.
Writing on social media, the company announced that the 10-Series GeForce GTX GPUs are now available for ordinary buyers around the world.
"Inspired. Innovative. In-stock. GeForce GTX 10-Series GPUs are back on shelves at MSRP! #MadeToGame," the company wrote in a Tweet.
Depending on the model, the cards are now selling for manufacturer suggested retail prices and costing from $150 for the GTX 1050 to $800 for top-of-the-range GTX 1080s
Customers can purchase some of these cards straight from Nvidia. For instance, theForce GTX 1070 costs $449 and comes with immediate shipping.
However, the shipping dates of other models vary. While the Founders Edition is now selling for $549, it could take up to a week to ship. It is the same situation with the 6GB GTX 1060, which is priced at $299.
But buyers do have the option to purchase the cards from other retailers, with stocks at the usual places - Aria, eBuyer, Novatech, Box, Overclockers, Scan and others - returning to normal.
For UK customers, the GTX 1070 costs £379 from Nvidia, with the 1080 costing £529. That is a saving of hundreds compared to the prices during March.
However, not all customers are satisfied, noting that next-generation graphics cards from Nvidia are due out imminently. One Twitter user complained: "GPU prices are still above MSRP and it's close to next-gen launching."
However, it seems that the prices of AMD's Radeon Cards - which are arguably more popular among cryptocurrency miners - have not fallen quite so dramatically.
In the UK, prices for the AMD RX Vega 56 range between £500 to £600, while the price of RX 580 graphics cards average £300, compared to a launch price last year of just over £200.
J1043+2408 was observed for more than 10 years, and its radio light curve exhibited a periodic signal repeating in about 563 days
Success of Unity's test flight means Virgin Galactic is now close to taking its first paying tourist into space
V3 puts the pro-level football GPS tracker through its paces, and asks if it's more than a gimmick
Finding refutes many earlier studies that suggest that galaxies don't have much dark matter at the time of their birth


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General Motors plans a 90-day pilot with Autobytel.com that could serve as the model for a joint-venture car-buying site with dealers.
The test will involve sales of a single GM brand in a single metropolitan market, the automaker said last week. Neither GM nor Autobytel.com would disclose the brand, market or cost of the test, which begins May 1.
But GM has been planning a joint-venture Web site with its dealers since last summer and at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention earlier this month gave it a name: AutoCentric LLC.
By partnering with Autobytel.com, GM may avoid some of the legal pitfalls other Web sites have faced, such as state statutes that ban auto brokering. If the pilot is successful, Autobytel's site may become the platform for running AutoCentric and GM may take an equity interest in Autobytel.com, which would refine its business model.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, GM said AutoCentric either will be run by a third-party Internet service in which GM has a minority stake or will be started from scratch by GM and its dealers.
'We are doing this because consumers prefer a site offering all makes and models three to one,' said Mike Devereux, director of business development for E-GM, GM's Internet division.
Customers who want to buy GM vehicles will be able to search participating dealers' new-vehicle inventories for a specific car and get a price quote from a dealer they choose. Throughout the process there will be no evidence of GM's involvement in the transaction.
Dealers will call the shots on retail prices. They can choose to list a vehicle without a price, list it with a special 'e-price' or not list the vehicle at all.
Because GM dealers will set their own prices, they avoid state laws that ban factory involvement in retail pricing, prevent factories from setting price ceilings and prohibit price-fixing by factories and dealers.
The GM venture also avoids state bans on brokering, which have quashed some online auto brokers. Autobytel.com's site refers customers to dealers; it does not broker the sale.
'I had a call from the GM folks on how to comply with Virginia law,' said Mike Charapp, a Washington dealer attorney. 'They don't want to get derailed by some legal challenge.'
GM has filed a registration statement with the SEC to raise $25 million through a private stock offering to dealers. GM will invest another $25 million in the venture, the document says.
The project has at least one dissenter. Dan Myers, a Tallahassee, Fla., dealer attorney, is suspicious of GM's desire to launch a joint venture with dealers and its potential to own a stake in Autobytel.com. Myers believes the joint venture still could run into trouble in states that restrict factory ownership of retail operations.


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Cyber Fraud Threats of Today
Is Your Business Prepared for a Security Breach?
The FBI is the lead
federal agency for investigating
cyber attacks by criminals,
global adversaries and terrorists.
According to the FBI’s website, cyber
crimes are a serious threat that continues
to grow. Some of the most common
threats include computer and network
intrusions, ransomware, identity theft
and online predators.
This leaves small business owners
who may not have the expertise or money
to invest in top-notch cyber security
feeling vulnerable to cyber-crime. But
simple precaution and preparation,
coupled with common sense, can go
a long way in minimizing opportunities
Business owners should think about
cyber security like they do about personal
hygiene. For example, when connecting
to Wi-Fi, they should ensure it is one
they are familiar with. Joel Quejada,
As the global workforce and economy continue to
transform and depend on technology, so too, do
cyber hackers adapt and find new ways to invade private
information of public and private sector networks.
Even some of the largest, most prepared companies
like Reddit, Ticketmaster, Yahoo, Equifax, Facebook
and the U.S. Homeland Security, have dealt with data
breaches, according to an August report by Wired.
Lead Product Manager at AT&T, says
about 80 percent of cyber security
breaches come from people sharing their
passwords with others, which ultimately
compromises their information.
He advises people to use strong
passwords, even going as far as
using whole sentences or song lyrics.
“There are two main attack vectors
for small business owners: one is through
your email and the other through the
web,” Quejada says. “If you’re able to
protect your email and your access to the
web then you’re accomplishing a
majority of the defense you can do
Virus protection, such as Mcafee
software, is a good start. But business
owners can still fall victim to cyber crime
if they open a hacked email or accidentally
click on a website with malware.
AT&T offers defense-in-depth
services, which is when multiple layers
Lead Product Manager, AT&T.
of security controls are placed
throughout an information technology
system. Quejada says the first layer
can protect a laptop, cell phone or
tablet and a second layer protects
email and the web.
This added service can significantly
reduce the chance of leaving any
information susceptible to hackers.
Small business owners can sign up
for AT&T’s Tech Support 360, a virtual
IT department, and protect multiple
devices for a monthly fee.
AT&T regards small businesses as
firms with one to 500 employees.
By Christine Bolaños
20 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 4, 2018


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Meijer to open supercenters on April 28 in Brunswick, Canton
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Meijer is expanding in Northeast Ohio with two new supercenters opening later this spring.
Locations in Brunswick and Canton will open to the public on April 28.
Meijer said shoppers will have the opportunity to purchase all their favorites, including items in grocery, fresh produce, bakery, meat and deli.
Both stores will have departments in floral, garden, pharmacy, pets, electronics, toys, sports and apparel, according to a news release.
Meijer is looking to fill available positions ahead of the openings. Click here to apply.
Copyright 2022 WOIO. All rights reserved.


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The headline in Crain’s Chicago Business says it all:
What’s the sale of Integrys do for Chicago? Not much
Yesterday, Wisconsin Energy announced that it was buying Integrys, the parent company of Chicago-area utilities Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, in a $9.1 billion deal.
But for a company pulling the corporate headquarters from Chicago, Wisconsin Energy hasn’t produced any consumer concessions to make nice with the Illinois Commerce Commission. (The ICC has to approve the deal along with a bunch of other state and federal regulators.)
“We want to make sure consumers are protected,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata told Crain’s reporter Steve Daniels. “We haven’t seen any concessions offered. That’s a little bit unusual.”
In this age of merger mania, consumer advocates are always concerned that consolidation will lead to a decrease in customer service and an increase in rates. “We will be quick to point out any shortcomings and propose improvements to make this a better deal for Chicago-area consumers,” Kolata said in a CUB’s statement.
While we have to analyze the proposed acquisition carefully, our confidence isn’t boosted by the fact that Peoples Gas and North Shore are charging the highest gas rates in the state right now, as the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Plus, the Peoples and North Shore have gotten about $250 million in rate hikes since 2008–and they’re asking for anotherright now.
And Daniels reminds us all that just last year Peoples led the charge for a new state law to impose a surcharge on customers’ gas bills to more quickly be compensated for infrastructure improvement programs.
To put it simply: Give Chicago gas customers break! Recent deals involving Nicor and ComEd included benefits like a three-year rate freeze, even $100 million in rate rebates. How about making pro-consumer concessions part of the Integrys sale?
Rate relief, please!


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IKEA Winnipeg has closed for the second time in less than two weeks after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement on its website, IKEA says they learned of the worker’s diagnosis on Monday and has temporarily closed the store to complete a thorough deep clean and sanitization.
“We are supporting our co-worker to ensure they have everything they need and hope for their full recovery soon,” the retailer said.
“The safety of IKEA co-workers and customers is our top priority and we are taking extensive precautionary measures to reduce any risk of further exposure, always following the guidelines of Manitoba Public Health.”
The store will reopen to customers once the sanitization process is complete. Updates will be posted on IKEA.ca/Winnipeg.
It’s the second time IKEA has closed its Winnipeg store due to COVID-19. A worker tested positive on August 27 and the store was closed for cleaning until August 31.